1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus and an information recording/reproducing apparatus, which can reproduce analog information and/or digital information recorded in a recording medium, and relates to an information selectively outputting apparatus and an electronic apparatus system thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital interface bus standardized by the IEEE (The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.) 1394 is well known as a high functional digital interface bus, which assures that a rate of data transmission is more than 100 Mbps (Megabit per second) and can transfer video and audio information as well as control information. The high functional digital interface bus is hereinafter called an xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d.
Accordingly, digital information can be mutually conveyed in between a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder), which can record and reproduce a MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) 2 transport stream packet (TS packet), and a digital broadcast receiving apparatus equipped with a receiver section for digital broadcasting and a MPEG decoder by connecting them with an xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d.
On the other hand, a VCR in conformity with the D-VHS (the registered trademark of VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LTD.) system can record and reproduce the above-mentioned MPEG2 TS packet and general digital information such as digital information outputted from a personal computer. The VCR can also record and reproduce analog information in conformity with the regular VHS (the registered trademark of VICTOR COMPANY OF JAPAN, LTD.) system.
Since a system comprising a digital broadcast receiving apparatus 101, a VCR 102 and a monitor 103 is usually configured by connecting them as shown in FIG. 12, it is preferable that analog information reproduced by a VCR 102 of the D-VHS(copyright) system can be outputted to or indicated on the monitor 103 through the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 101. However, a video signal in analog can not be transmitted through an xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d as it is. Therefore, reproduced analog information shall be transmitted to the digital broadcast receiving apparatus 101 through an analog signal line independent of the xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d.
Accordingly, while the VCR 102 reproduces a magnetic tape recorded with an analog information and a digital information mixed in, it is advisable that information outputted to the monitor 103 shall not be interrupted by switching an interface utilized immediately in response to reproduced information whenever the reproduced information changes from digital information to analog information and vice versa. In other words, the xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d shall be switched over to the analog signal line and vice versa in response to reproduced information whenever the reproduced information changes from digital information to analog information and vice versa.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an information reproducing apparatus and an information recording/reproducing apparatus and an electronic apparatus system thereof, which can reproduce analog information and/or digital information recorded in an recording medium and can immediately switch one interface such as the xe2x80x9c1394 interface busxe2x80x9d or an analog signal line to be utilized over to the other in response to reproduced information in order to prevent output information from being interrupted temporarily or stopped completely whenever the reproduced information changes from analog information to digital information and vice versa.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides, according to an aspect thereof, an information reproducing apparatus which can reproduce information recorded in a recording medium and has an analog interface of transmitting the information in a signal configuration of analog to an external equipment and has a digital interface of transmitting the information in a signal configuration of digital to an external equipment. The information reproducing apparatus comprises analog information outputting means for outputting predetermined analog information through the analog interface in accordance with a request for outputting analog information through the digital interface from the external equipment connected through the digital interface and switching means for switching an interface of outputting reproduced information over to the analog interface or the digital interface in response to information reproduced from the recording medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there provided an information recording/reproducing apparatus which has a recording function of recording at least one of analog information and digital information in a recording medium and has a reproducing function of reproducing analog information and digital information recorded in the recording medium. The information recording/reproducing apparatus comprises an analog interface of transmitting the analog information to and receiving the analog information from external equipment and a digital interface of transmitting the digital information to and receiving the digital information from external equipment. The information recording/reproducing apparatus further comprises analog information outputting means for outputting predetermined analog information through the analog interface in accordance with a request for outputting analog information through the digital interface from the external equipment connected through the digital interface, discriminating means for discriminating whether information reproduced from the recording medium is the analog information or the digital information, and switching means for switching an interface of outputting reproduced information over to one of the analog interface and the digital interface in accordance with a result of discrimination by the discriminating means.
According to further aspect of the present invention, there provided an information selectively outputting apparatus, which has an analog interface of being inputted with analog information from an external equipment and has a digital interface of transmitting digital information to and receiving digital information from an external equipment, wherein the analog interface is provided with at least one analog port of transmitting analog information from the external equipment to the analog interface. The information selectively outputting apparatus comprises connecting port confirmation means for transmitting a request for transmission of analog information to a digital port, which is connected to a digital interface provided in the external equipment, and for correlating the digital port with an analog port at which analog information in response to the request for transmission of analog information is detected. The information selectively outputting apparatus is further characterized by that information transmitted through one port out of the analog port and the digital port correlated by the connecting port confirmation means is selectively outputted in accordance with a condition of receiving information, whenever the information is received through the analog port or the digital port.
The above mentioned information selectively outputting apparatus is further characterized by that digital information supplied from the external equipment through the digital port is outputted as a signal of predetermined format and by that analog information supplied to the analog port correlated by the connecting port confirmation means is outputted as a signal of predetermined format when the digital information is not supplied.
According to furthermore aspect of the present invention there provided an electronic apparatus system composed of an information reproducing apparatus, which can reproduce information recorded in a recording medium, and an information selectively outputting apparatus which is connected to the information reproducing apparatus, wherein the information reproducing apparatus comprises an analog interface of transmitting analog information to the information selectively outputting apparatus and a digital interface of transmitting digital information to and receiving digital information from the information selectively outputting apparatus, and wherein the information selectively outputting apparatus comprises an analog interface to which analog information from the information reproducing apparatus is inputted through an analog port and a digital interface of transmitting digital information to and receiving digital information from the information reproducing apparatus.
In addition thereto, the information reproducing apparatus further comprises analog information outputting means for outputting predetermined analog information through the analog interface in accordance with a request for outputting analog information through the digital interface from the information selectively outputting apparatus and switching means for switching an interface of outputting reproduced information over to one of the analog interface and the digital interface in response to information reproduced from the recording medium, and wherein the information selectively outputting apparatus further comprises connecting port confirmation means for transmitting a request for transmission of analog information to a digital port, which is connected to the digital interface provided in the information reproducing apparatus, and for correlating the digital port with an analog port at which analog information in response to the request for transmission of analog information is detected. The information selectively outputting apparatus is further characterized by that information transmitted through one port out of the analog port and the digital port correlated by the connecting port confirmation means is selectively outputted in accordance with a condition of receiving information, whenever the information is received through the analog port or the digital port.